AC cheesy gun salute

I don't like Alberto Contador but I have a lot of respect for him as a rider. Just saw yet another picture of him on the podium (Algarve) with his token gun salute. He should just smile or raise his arms because it is the cheesiest pose I have ever seen along with the lame smirk on his face. When riders win and do something unique (i.e. Flecha and his bow and arrow), I like the originality but AC's body language just bothers me.

personally, i'll take it vs. another rider pointing to the sky-again. when is a rider
going to point down to the ground? maybe contador could broaden his horizons
and go with a .357 salute, a shotgun salute, bazooka, flamethrower, assault rifle
or the like. i think the tommy gun salute would be the best tho. spray lead albert!

If AC wants to be Pistolero then let him go for it - he can finger bang all he wants as he is the best in the sport right now (as in gun bang-bang). Plenty of pro athletes, not nearly at the level that AC is, do questionable celebratory gestures (go look at the NFL to start) that look nonsensical.

... but I have a lot of respect for him as a rider.
I hope someone wipes the smirk off his face during the TDF this year!

I used to have similar peeves about Armstrong, but I was recently overjoyed to discover I actually like watching him ride & win; he just has the same PR problem Jesus has: many of his fans are insufferable.*
The pistolero-wank does nothing for me, but I think the only way Lance is going to win is with a coup d'equipe. (i.e. his team making up the difference for Contador's superior strength.) Either way, it'll be fun to watch!

Compare this to Flecha's arrow celebration, which we saw at Het Nieuwsblad. This celebration seems to work. Is it because:

(a) Flecha has more charisma than Contador
(b) It actually makes sense because "flecha" means "arrow"
(c) Flecha doesn't dominate every race he wants to win
(d) Flecha doesn't wear a hat with an arrow on it
(e) All of the above

Ehhh.. as someone above said, I'd rather see the fingerbang than yet another arms-up V.

He's the best rider out there right now, period. He's entitled to do something slightly different. <geek mode>If Jedi Knight Mace Windu can get a purple lightsaber, Contador can get the fingerbang, sez I</geek>.